Tree of Life!

Original Writing By Aharon Moshe Sanders

Torah Tree of life thought for the day:

The Torah as it was given to us the jewish nation by Hashem Elokim is perfect:

It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and its supporters are praiseworthy. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace.

We say these words when we return the Torah to the ark. Very often even in casual conversation, or writing, people tend to remember only the last thing you said.

Maybe we should really at least think for a moment what the idea of grasping Eytz- Chayim really means. When we put the Torah away we might notice that we are surrounded by people. As followers of the Torah we support Ha-Torah, and the Torah supports as well with its ways, which are ways of pleasantness. I have heard it said, that it is not so much that we keep the sabbath, as it is that the sabbath keeps us.

It is so easy to forget how fortunate we truly are. We are able to keep the Torah and are not being threatened with loss of life, loss of income, loss of shelter, we need not fear persecution for our religous beliefs and customs. We can support Ha-Torah by embracing it, and we can be happy, because the ways of the Torah are ways of pleasantness.We should also recall that:

Hashem Elokim commanded the the man saying, "You may certainly eat from every tree in the Garden. But from the Tree of Knowledge of what is good and evil, you shall not eat from it, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die". (Bereeishis 2:16-2:17- The Metsudah Linear Chumash)

Refrainig from judgement is a difficult thing, it is very easy to find something wrong in others. When we see someone do something which perhaps we might consider as wrong, it is very simple to judge that person negatively. However when we do that, we bring ourselves up for judgement. We all fall short, we daven and pray for rachmanos (mercy) from Hashem. What ever we may be seeing in others, we may not even truly understand, yet it is very easy rush to judgement.

The whole element of din is best left to Hashem. Hashem has commanded us not to eat from the Tree of Knowldge of good and evil, and maybe each time we judge someone negatively or as evil, then just maybe as the pusek says- a little part of us- dies.

Aharon Moshe Sanders October, 18, 2007
(edited on 10/23/07)